U.S. Purchase of Alaska
In the mid-18th century, the government of Russia had established their presence in Alaska. Russian America or the Alaskan territory belonged to Russia until roughly 1859, when they made an offer to the United States and the British. Russia had just fought the British in the Crimean War, and while British Columbia continued to grow rapidly, Alaska attracted very few people. Russia feared that in any future war with Britain, the territory would be a top priority and would easily be captured. This then lead to Russian Emperor Alexander II wanting to sell the region. He contacted both the U.S. and the British; but the British never expressed much interest in buying the Alaskan territory. The U.S. however, was interested. The Russians then formally offered to sell the territory to the U.S.; the deal was put to a halt though, when the Civil War began.
When the Civil War ended with the Union Victory, the Russian minister to the United States, Eduard de Stoeckl, resumed the negotiations with William Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State. Seward was a huge supporter of
territorial expansion, and was anxious to acquire the area of Alaska; the area being close to the size of one-fifth the rest of the U.S or about twice the size of Texas. However, it wasn't easy for Seward. He pleaded his case of the purchase of Alaska to the U.S. Senate, which then led to the ratification of the treaty by a margin of just one vote on April 9, 1867. The negotiations between the U.S. and Russia were reopened in the beginning of March of 1867, and were concluded after an all-night session with the signing of the Treaty of Cession at 4 a.m. on March 30, 1867. The U.S. had agreed to pay a total of $7.2 million, or approximately 2 cents per acre.
The purchase was a huge addition to the United States, but some of the population was not pleased with the purchase. It was “ridiculed in Congress and in the press” as “Seward’s Folly”, “Seward’s Icebox” and President Andrew Johnson’s “Polar Bear Garden”. Some of the complaints were based upon the price that was paid, but the land turned out to be rich in natural resources such as gold, copper, and oil. It wasn’t until 1896 during the Klondike Gold Strike that Alaska was seen as a valuable addition to the United States. Though the settlement in Alaska started out slow, the discovery of gold brought an influx of people to the territory. In 1959 Alaska was officially announced as a state. I think that Alaska was a great purchase for the United States, because it gave our country more natural resources and more room for expansion. To me Alaska, over the years, has proven to be a positive addition, and I think it has contributed to American prosperity ever since it became a state.
"Meeting of Frontiers: Home Page." Meeting of Frontiers: Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013.
"Primary Documents in American History." Treaty with Russia for the Purchase of Alaska: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress). N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013.
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Great job!